Join the movement that's making healthy choices easier across the state. Together we can transform well-being and make Hawaii a healthier, happier place to live, work, and play.

Learn About Blue Zones Project

Blue Zones Project is a community-wide well-being improvement initiative to help make healthy choices easier in Hawaii.

The Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA) has brought Blue Zones Project® to Hawaii to transform our state into an even better place to live, work, and play. To reach that goal, we'll help residents make small changes so we can all enjoy longer, happier, and healthier lives.
Small changes can lead to big benefits for our community: lower health care costs, higher productivity, and ultimately, a better quality of life. We look forward to working together with organizations, communities, and people across the state to make well-being a priority.

History of Blue Zones

What began as a New York Times bestseller by National Geographic Fellow Dan Buettner has evolved into a global movement that's inspiring people to live longer, more active lives with lower rates of chronic disease.

From Sardinia, Italy, to Okinawa, Japan, to Loma Linda, California, people are living vibrant, active lives well into their hundreds. Buettner calls these areas Blue Zones and they're the inspiration behind his book, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest. Buettner's research, along with a global longevity study, have led to a program that helps us live longer, healthier, and happier lives.

Live longer by applying these principles from the people who have lived the longest.

Learn About Blue Zones Project

Blue Zones Project is a community-wide well-being improvement initiative to help make healthy choices easier in Hawaii.

The Hawaii Medical Service Association (HMSA) has brought Blue Zones Project® to Hawaii to transform our state into an even better place to live, work, and play. To reach that goal, we'll help residents make small changes so we can all enjoy longer, happier, and healthier lives.
Small changes can lead to big benefits for our community: lower health care costs, higher productivity, and ultimately, a better quality of life. We look forward to working together with organizations, communities, and people across the state to make well-being a priority.

History of Blue Zones

What began as a New York Times bestseller by National Geographic Fellow Dan Buettner has evolved into a global movement that's inspiring people to live longer, more active lives with lower rates of chronic disease.

From Sardinia, Italy, to Okinawa, Japan, to Loma Linda, California, people are living vibrant, active lives well into their hundreds. Buettner calls these areas Blue Zones and they're the inspiration behind his book, The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who've Lived the Longest. Buettner's research, along with a global longevity study, have led to a program that helps us live longer, healthier, and happier lives.

Live longer by applying these principles from the people who have lived the longest.

Down ShiftReverse disease by finding a stress-relieving strategy that works for you..

PurposeWake up with purpose each day and add up to seven years to your life.

Plant SlantPut more fruits and vegetables on your plate.

80% RuleEat mindfully and stop when 80% full.

BelongBelong to a faith-based community and attend services regularly to add up to 14 years to your life.

Wine @ FiveEnjoy a glass of wine with good friends each day.

Right TribeSurround yourself with people who support you and positive behaviors.

Family FirstInvest time with your 'ohana and add up to six years to your life.

Transforming Well-Being

Worksites

Schools

Restaurants

Grocery Stores

Faith-Based

Other Organizations

Community Policy

Transforming Hawaii

Hawaii is on its way to becoming a Blue Zones Community®. That means residents and business owners alike are focused on improving well-being for themselves and their neighbors. Together, we can lower obesity rates, smoking, and chronic disease to create a healthier, happier place to live, work, and play.

Making Well-Being Work

Put Blue Zones Project to work at your worksite.

Many of us spend the majority of our day at work – so having healthy choices at our workplace is key. Blue Zones Project offers solutions for worksites to inspire employees to be happier and more productive at work and at home. A healthier employee costs less, too. When workers feel better and more connected to their colleagues, they miss less work, make greater contributions, and have lower healthcare costs.

Lessons in Well-Being

The healthier we make Hawaii schools, the healthier our keiki will be.

Blue Zones Project® makes it easy for schools to teach students how to lead longer, happier lives. Schools are already an essential part of helping kids make smart choices about staying healthy. By encouraging better eating habits, implementing tobacco-free policies, and increasing physical activity, schools can use Blue Zones Project to help students and parents form healthy habits for life.

Put Well-Being on the Menu

Hawaii has plenty of choices when it comes to eating out. And Blue Zones Project can help restaurants offer even more healthy choices to keep and attract more customers. By surrounding ourselves with like-minded people who are focused on healthier living, we can move from dieting fads to meaningful lifestyle changes and drive more traffic to the restaurants that are offering delicious, good-for-you menu options.

Stock up on Well-Being

From farmers' markets to grocery stores, healthier food options are increasingly needed in Hawaii. Blue Zones Project® can help local grocers educate their customers on improving their family's nutrition and provide easier access to healthful and tasty foods. If you're a local grocer, Blue Zones Project can help increase your traffic by making the healthy choice the easy choice.

Have Faith in Well-Being

Increase attendance at your faith-based organization by helping your members "belong to live long."

Hawaii has a strong and richly diverse faith-based community. Now professional and lay leaders of all denominations can share the Blue Zones Project programs with their congregations to help attract new members and inspire current members to increase their attendance. When we give the entire faith-based community an opportunity to make positive changes, healthier, happier lives will follow.

Organizing for Well-Being

Connect your club, group, or civic organization to the community and well-being.

Where we choose to live, work, play, and even the group of people with whom we spend our time, all influence the lifestyle choices we make. Blue Zones Project programs are designed to inspire, encourage, and promote well-being within your organization so your members are more socially connected and equipped to positively impact one another and the entire community.

Stand for Well-Being

Blue Zones Project works with community leaders to inspire positive sustainable changes to policy and built-environment.

Community policy has a big impact on healthy choices. Sidewalks, bike lanes, community gardens, mobile food markets, farmers' markets, and other community infrastructures affect our ability to move naturally, connect socially, and access healthy food. When we make permanent changes to our surroundings, we can change behaviors and help our whole community lead healthier, happier, and longer lives.

Transforming Hawaii

Hawaii is on its way to becoming a Blue Zones Community®. That means residents and business owners alike are focused on improving well-being for themselves and their neighbors. Together, we can lower obesity rates, smoking, and chronic disease to create a healthier, happier place to live, work, and play.

Making Well-Being Work

Put Blue Zones Project to work at your worksite.

Many of us spend the majority of our day at work – so having healthy choices at our workplace is key. Blue Zones Project offers solutions for worksites to inspire employees to be happier and more productive at work and at home. A healthier employee costs less, too. When workers feel better and more connected to their colleagues, they miss less work, make greater contributions, and have lower healthcare costs.

Lessons in Well-Being

The healthier we make Hawaii schools, the healthier our keiki will be.

Blue Zones Project® makes it easy for schools to teach students how to lead longer, happier lives. Schools are already an essential part of helping kids make smart choices about staying healthy. By encouraging better eating habits, implementing tobacco-free policies, and increasing physical activity, schools can use Blue Zones Project to help students and parents form healthy habits for life.

Put Well-Being on the Menu

Hawaii has plenty of choices when it comes to eating out. And Blue Zones Project can help restaurants offer even more healthy choices to keep and attract more customers. By surrounding ourselves with like-minded people who are focused on healthier living, we can move from dieting fads to meaningful lifestyle changes and drive more traffic to the restaurants that are offering delicious, good-for-you menu options.

Stock up on Well-Being

From farmers' markets to grocery stores, healthier food options are increasingly needed in Hawaii. Blue Zones Project® can help local grocers educate their customers on improving their family's nutrition and provide easier access to healthful and tasty foods. If you're a local grocer, Blue Zones Project can help increase your traffic by making the healthy choice the easy choice.

Have Faith in Well-Being

Increase attendance at your faith-based organization by helping your members "belong to live long."

Hawaii has a strong and richly diverse faith-based community. Now professional and lay leaders of all denominations can share the Blue Zones Project programs with their congregations to help attract new members and inspire current members to increase their attendance. When we give the entire faith-based community an opportunity to make positive changes, healthier, happier lives will follow.

Organizing for Well-Being

Connect your club, group, or civic organization to the community and well-being.

Where we choose to live, work, play, and even the group of people with whom we spend our time, all influence the lifestyle choices we make. Blue Zones Project programs are designed to inspire, encourage, and promote well-being within your organization so your members are more socially connected and equipped to positively impact one another and the entire community.

Stand for Well-Being

Blue Zones Project works with community leaders to inspire positive sustainable changes to policy and built-environment.

Community policy has a big impact on healthy choices. Sidewalks, bike lanes, community gardens, mobile food markets, farmers' markets, and other community infrastructures affect our ability to move naturally, connect socially, and access healthy food. When we make permanent changes to our surroundings, we can change behaviors and help our whole community lead healthier, happier, and longer lives.